By Ahmad Awadallah

Ed Sheeran has been involved in every facet of music and lending his talents to nearly every genre despite his extremely young age. The musical wunderkind has collaborated with the likes of Cee Lo, James Morrison and British rapper Example. Well, on his new EP, The Slumdon Bridge, he adds another high-profile collabo by linking up with one of the hottest emcees in the game, Yelawolf. A strange line-up to say the least, but any true music lover would thoroughly enjoy the supernatural chemistry that oozes from the opus.“London Bridge” kick starts the four-track EP and it packs a simple ol’ Western Blues production that does not disappoint. Yela’s heavy southern drawL takes this track to another level as he complements the slow somber beat that begs a few shots of Jack Daniels. Ed offers some of his smooth crooning on the hook and adding more solemnity to the record. However, the tempo changes dramatically towards the end, as Ed inserts some cheerful clapping samples, upping his flow and reminding folks that “Only God can take him down,” and that’s real talk.

The dubious duo chooses to go the club route on “You Don’t Know (For Fuck’s Sake).” If you never heard of Ed Sheeran, you’ll definitely become a fan of him after listening to this joint. The dude is extremely versatile and his style can best be defined as Robin Thicke meets Trey Songz mixed with a his own concocted fair. Probably won’t get the airplay or club rotation in the states, even though it deserves the attention, but you might hear it out in some London lounges.

The Shady Records signee goes in with his signature tenacious flow on “Faces.”  He rhymes about his harsh upbringing and social ills that plague the ghettos of Alabama. Ed neatly croons on the hook and reminds listeners that despite all the success, he won’t change. That’s what they all say, but eventually they all sell-out. “Tone” comes with some eccentric synths and isn’t really consistent with the EP’s overall sound. The track sounds reminiscent of Trunk Muzik or Radioactive, and it acts as an unexpected speed bump on a seemingly smooth road.

The Slumdon Bridge is short and sweet and one can only hope that they release more music in tandem.  This effort should definitely act as the American Hip-Hop pipeline for the English music marvel. The kid is uber talented and it’s only a matter of time till he catches the ear of a Hip-Hop heavy weight; as for Yelawolf, he continues to remind haters that Eminem signed him for a reason.

3.5 Out of 5

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